If you are ready to get a hearing test, you might have some questions about what to expect. The good news is that we will guide you through the process from start to finish, and you don’t need to worry about preparing anything. Although we will make sure you understand what is happening at each step along the way, you might also be curious to know exactly what is going on. Our hearing health professionals can explain what they are doing and interpret all the results in a way that is easy to understand. Here are a few of the basics of hearing tests. When you take the test, you will be letting us know the threshold between what you can and can’t hear. We use that information to make a diagnosis and to pair you with the right kind of treatment for your individual needs, should the results come back that you have hearing loss or impairment. When you come for your visit, you can also consult with our hearing health professionals to let us know specific situations that make it difficult for you to hear. We will use this information to add to the results of your hearing test, helping us arrive at a better understanding of your needs. While we consult with you, we will present some general information about your hearing, so you might want to bring something to take some notes. You can also bring along a family member or trusted friend who can help you remember the details of your visit. Two memories are better than one when it comes to the specifics of your hearing ability and needs.
Pure Tone Audiometry
The most common type of hearing test is called pure tone audiometry. When you take part in this test, you will be letting our hearing health professionals know which sounds you can and can’t hear. The part you play in the process is quite simple. You will be asked to put on a pair of headphones or to sit in a sound-proof room. Once you are comfortable, we will play a series of different tones for you. These tones come in a variety of frequencies and volumes. When you hear a sound, you can simply raise your hand or press a button to signal that you have heard something. If you don’t hear many sounds, don’t worry. This test is a way for us to determine which sounds you can and can’t hear, so the most important thing is to listen carefully and to only raise your hand when you hear something. We will make a chart called an audiogram based on your performance.
Other Hearing Tests
Although pure tone audiometry is the most common type of hearing test, there are others to address specific needs. For instance, if you have trouble understanding human speech, you can take part in speech audiometry. Rather than pure tones, this test will use samples of speech to determine your ability to understand language at different volumes. Those who have trouble understanding what others have to say when there is background noise present will benefit from speech-in-noise testing. This test produces different types of background noise and then plays human speech at the same time. One more type of hearing test is called tympanometry. This test measures the ear’s ability to detect sound pressure, making it possible to diagnose physiological problems in the eardrum and other elements of acoustic reflex responses.
Reading Your Audiogram
When your results come back from the test, we will help you read and understand your audiogram if you like. For some people, this information is more than they want to hear, but others are curious to understand what is going on in different dimensions of hearing ability. This chart shows how loud a sound needs to be before you will be able to hear it. Sounds of different frequencies will be depicted on this chart, letting us know how we can best help you augment your hearing. If you have not yet scheduled your hearing test, don’t delay. Getting accurate information about your hearing ability is the best way to get the help you need!